Scrub?

[CaptainVideo]

Not sure whether to scrub planned launch
Weather report for Sat
High 79
East wing 5 to 7mph, with gusts as high as 21mph

I know the general rule is don't over 20mph, but does that count for gusts 1mph over when steady wind is mild?

 

[heada]

Are those surface winds or winds aloft? It could be 5 to 7 at surface but sustained 25 a few hundred feet up.

 

[BABAR]

What are you flying?
How big is your field?
Saucers and small motor low power could be launched between gusts.

 

[CaptainVideo]

"Are those surface winds or winds aloft? It could be 5 to 7 at surface but sustained 25 a few hundred feet up."
Don't know, the weather report did not specify.

I don't have the field measurements, it is a soccer practice field. I generally launch a few larger rockets like the Amazon on B engines and smaller ones - Mini Mosquito, Star Trooper, and the Mini Max on 1/4 A3-3T, 1/2A3-4T, and A3-4T.

 

[jadebox]

We have held launches with weather forecasts like that. We have an anemometer on the field and watch for the wind speed to drop to a reasonable value for a few seconds before we launch. Basically, we fly between the gusts.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Before 9am and after 5pm are excellent times because the winds usually peak at noon and if you're videoing, the launches look better with the sun low. I'm constantly looking at the hourly forecast to see when's a good time. Right now, my problem is that the weather websites can't seem to agree, so I watch the tops of the monkeypod trees to see how strong the wind is. I start small with the A3 then work my way up to C11.

 

[KennB]

Use Windy.com. You can get forecasts 5 or so days in advance and wind from surface to 13.5 km altitude. It can also show you the cloud deck. Very handy.

The link above is for the CMASS home field. Just enter your location in the search field.

For fun, zoom all the way out and have a look at what's happening around the world.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Use Windy.com. You can get forecasts 5 or so days in advance and wind from surface to 13.5 km altitude. It can also show you the cloud deck. Very handy.

The link above is for the CMASS home field. Just enter your location in the search field.

For fun, zoom all the way out and have a look at what's happening around the world.

Nice. Is that the field you usually launch from?

 

[mooffle]

I second windy, the interface for their app and the amount of information is top notch.

 

[KennB]

Nice. Is that the field you usually launch from?

We get to use the field for regular club launches in April and September through November once or twice each month. We also use it for TARC qualifying in February and March but it can be a bit snowy then. This year, we missed out on the April launch due to the state regulations. We've just pared back the outdoor activities from 100 people to 50 so the September launch may have to be done in shifts.

 

[Five]

Not sure whether to scrub planned launch
Weather report for Sat
High 79
East wing 5 to 7mph, with gusts as high as 21mph

I know the general rule is don't over 20mph, but does that count for gusts 1mph over when steady wind is mild?

That kind of weather seems like heaven to the residents of Las Vegas Nevada. Here‘s are forecast for the rest of the week.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

I registered with windy.com but not sure how to get altitude data.

 

[KennB]

I registered with windy.com but not sure how to get altitude data.

On my computer, there is a vertical slide all the way over to the right that defaults to Surface. On my phone, I hit the three-bar menu button and scroll down to get to a horizontal slide for altitude.

Hope this helps.

 

[jrap330]

"Are those surface winds or winds aloft? It could be 5 to 7 at surface but sustained 25 a few hundred feet up."
Don't know, the weather report did not specify.

I don't have the field measurements, it is a soccer practice field. I generally launch a few larger rockets like the Amazon on B engines and smaller ones - Mini Mosquito, Star Trooper, and the Mini Max on 1/4 A3-3T, 1/2A3-4T, and A3-4T.

Yes, do it..small engines..i do not consider 1/4 or 1/2 engines..... But when I have gust...I time it..my launches between gusts when it appears you will have a few minutes of peace...if at launch site you don't scrub it. If consider a B engine....keep it to altitude of 300 feet max. I won't not launch anything beyond that for fear it blows away to heaven.

 

[jadebox]

Here in Central Florida, the winds usually shift direction 180 degrees sometime in the early afternoon. So, even if it's windy in the morning and late afternoon, there's usually a period in the early afternoon when the winds die down.

 

[jrap330]

Here in Central Florida, the winds usually shift direction 180 degrees sometime in the early afternoon. So, even if it's windy in the morning and late afternoon, there's usually a period in the early afternoon when the winds die down.

Yes, I would say that is true in all over.....the winds never state the same..especially in summer on East Coast (NJ) windy during day...good chance it dies down in evening. I

 

[JimByrne]

It is almost always windy in Kingman Az. so I go early and take a chance but at least get out and try

 

[Rocketclar]

There is a NOAA site for predicting upper level wind directions and speeds vs just surface wind. Ron Parsons of my old Austin based club use to run these winds aloft sims for us. I now have run these before launches at my new home in IN to see if a higher altitude flight would risk going towards the power lines (a big no-no). The example shown in the attachment is for our site in Muncie. You can tweak for your conditions and constraints. There are times when the speed and direction of the upper winds are very different than the surface winds. https://www.dropbox.com/s/au6rk6n5wsvrlr4/Winds Aloft.pdf?dl=0